Improving outdoor learning
First Coast Technical Institute's Tech Tots child care program has undergone a creative, interactive transformation in their outdoor playground area in preparation for the annual Early Childhood Conference. More than 100 representatives were on the FCTI campus April 28 for a day-long workshop to assess and evaluate methods and tools used in young children's outdoor learning.

Prayer services
National Day of Prayer will be observed Thursday at two St. Augustine locations.

In Service
Airman Chase P. Crawford graduated March 23 from Basic Military Training at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas. He will complete his technical training at Sheppard AFB, Wichita Falls, Texas.

News & Notes
Market closing early
Shop early this coming Saturday as The Old City Farmers' Market will be closing at 11 a.m. sharp. The market will be held at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre, 1340 A1A South, but will be closing early due to the Gamble Rogers Folk Festival. The Old City Farmers' Market is held every Saturday, rain or shine, at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. For information, call 797-9501.

Go & Do
TODAY
Steel Magnolias: A tribute to the charm and wit of Southern women is seen through the bonds of six Louisiana eccentrics in Robert Harling's "Steel Magnolias." The production opens at 7:30 p.m. at the Limelight Theatre, 11 Old Mission Ave., uptown St. Augustine. Tickets are $22-$15, with $10 student rush tickets available for all performances a half hour prior to curtain. Call the the box office at 825-1164.

Storytelling at Limelight Theatre features showcase of tellers
St. Augustine, Florida --Tale Tellers of St. Augustine present "THEATER OF THE MIND: Much Ado About Stories" featuring a showcase of tellers, Tuesday, May 15, at Limelight Theatre. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Refreshments will be available during intermission.

Neighborhood news
Hello everyone. Well it's that time of year when the snowbirds start their migration north, spring breakers finish up their semesters and bike week and speed week visitors have returned to work. As much as many of you might think it has been a relatively quiet month the statistics at the end of this show other wise. The sheriff's department followed through with it's promise of stepping up patrols and working with us on recurring issues. Many citations have been issued with good reason, and many more will be I'm sure. The ATV issue seems to have disappeared but they have been replaced with the motorized scooters. Though they resemble the toy "push" type, they are being ridden on the roads that people drive on. I wouldn't be telling you about this except for the fact that I have watched several of them racing down the road together at various times. The fact that they look like a "toy" scooter to many doesn't mean it is not capable of causing serious injury to the rider, particularly if it is being ridden on the same roads that are shared by cars and trucks. I have yet to hear of a complaint made about a bicycle going to fast or a scooter being pushed to fast, just add a motor and problems seem to occur.

Business news
The Civic Association's Wednesday morning Farmers/Art & Crafts market continues to evolve and change. We say goodbye to L&L Farms who have provided the Farmer's Market with high quality fresh produce since the late 90's. We wish the Wiggins family all the best and thank them for all the years of fine service to our community.

Neighborhood News by Evelyn
Another month has slipped by. Easter is a fond memory filled with the Sunrise Service, Easter eggs, candy, family and friends. Earth Day, with all of its activities, is another fond memory. St. Augustine has had many Arts and Crafts fairs, many Art shows, and now we are looking at another First Friday Art Walk. This is a great time to do the Art Walk, because daylight saving time gives us more hours of daylight. Our weather has been beautiful and many people are enjoying the beach activities. We are all fortunate to live in Paradise (another name for Treasure Beach). We are now looking forward to the merry month of May---May Day, Mother's Day, and Memorial Day---and the END of the 2006/2007 school year! I can almost hear the shouts of the students, and I know that the teachers are counting the days! Everybody must be having FUN, as time flies when you are having a good time!

Lunch Bunch notes
May 9, 2007 4:30 p.m. will be date for the next lunch bunch aka 'early dinner bunch'. We'll go to the SEA FAIR RESTAURANT 1 (one) Anastasia Blvd. We'll be celebrating Mother's Day. Come join us and we'll exchange some 'motherly' wisdom. Invite your neighbor to join you. You could be the winner of a free dinner from Kotrady-Hudgins-Croyle Funeral Home.

Short-Term Rentals, Chapter 2
For the February issue of this newspaper, I wrote a short article about the City Commission's consideration of an ordinance that would regulate the rental of residential properties in those areas of the City designated on its land use map as medium density residential. These areas are along the east and west sides of A1A Beach Boulevard between 16th and F Streets, and include as well the Villa del Rey and Sevilla Gardens subdivisions on the east side of State Road A1A. The issue of the short-term rental of properties for a weekend or a week arose when certain City residents complained that short-term rentals disrupted neighborhoods because of noise, litter, parking violations and other problems. On the other hand, the owners of short-term rental properties say that their tenants don't misbehave and cause problems, and that they, the owners, maintain their properties in better condition than do the owners of long-term rental properties. The short-term owners add that they should be allowed reasonable use of their property and to earn income from it.

Treasure Beach can be the best ever but only with Volunteers like you!
The Treasure Beach community is served by many volunteers who share their time and expertise. The list below is not all inclusive but it does give you an idea of the many opportunities available within our community. If you would like to be involved in any of the functions below or would like additional information please call one of the Board Members or the contact number below.

Guest Speaker for May 2007
Our guest speaker for our May Meeting will be Rose Larsen and an assistant from Kotrady-Hudgins Funeral Home. The talk will be to inform the audience on Pre-Arrangements for funerals as well as insurance questions and the answers.

From the President's Dock April 2007
I hope you all had a nice Easter/ Passover this month of April. Spring is here. Let's hope we don't get a repeat of another sweltering hot summer and that our Hurricane season is without any major storms.

Kayak fishing tournament coming to area on May 11
With gas prices once again bumping up against the $3-a-gallon level, there could hardly be a more appropriate time for some fishing that calls for darn little of it. And if you can tack onto that gas saving some exercise, the opportunity to win prizes, an awards banquet with plenty of food and the chance to tell some lies with fellow fishermen, all the better. But where to do all that?You could try participating in the Jacksonville Kayak Fishing Classic as it gets under way May 11 at Strike-Zone Fishing Center with the captains' meeting. This year's Classic is once again billed as the "world's largest" kayak fishing tournament.

Try chicken salad dinner in minutes
The crunch of the walnuts adds a special taste to this salad, full of Mediterranean flavor and aroma. Its ingredient list may look long, but the recipe comes together quite easily.

Run for the Roses gourmet
The Kentucky Derby is an American institution. It's the longest running sporting event in the country. Held the first Saturday in May, this is the 133rd Derby, frequently referred to as "The Run for the Roses," because a lush blanket of red roses is awarded to the winner.

Lemon extravaganza
Piled high in a big bowl on the kitchen counter, flamboyantly yellow lemons are usually eye-catching, accidental still-life artworks this time of year. Their pure, primary colors and shapes warm the room. But this season, after the citrus-freezing weather, lemons have become little luxuries. Maybe we should be displaying them one at a time in velvet-lined cases.

The many uses of ground beef
Everybody love's a good burger. However, ground beef can be used for many other easy to prepare recipes such as chili, spaghetti, soups, meatloaf, stuffed green peppers, sloppy Joes.

Smoking banned by Disney
LAKE BUENA VISTA -- Kath Petchey, a cigarette smoker for 32 years, lit up freely as she walked with her husband along Downtown Disney's shopping district Wednesday.

Mental exercises maintain the brain
PHILADELPHIA -- Gerry Stride cracks wise about having a senior moment when she forgets a name. But this baby boomer's fear of succumbing to dementia or Alzheimer's disease is no joke.

Scar-free surgery?
PITTSBURGH -- A 4-year-old boy lay on an operating table here a few weeks ago with a tumor that had eaten into his brain and the base of his skull. Standard surgery would involve cutting open his face, leaving an ugly scar and hindering his facial growth as he matured.

Immigrants protest in the streets
LOS ANGELES -- Immigration rallies held across the country Tuesday produced only a fraction of the million-plus protesters who turned out last year, as fear about raids and frustration that the marches haven't pushed Congress to pass reform kept many at home.

Kent State shooting tape released
KENT, Ohio -- Survivors of the National Guard shooting that killed four Kent State University students during an anti-war rally released an audio tape Tuesday that they said includes a military order to fire on the demonstrators.

'Newhart' star Tom Poston dies at 85
LOS ANGELES -- Tom Poston, the tall, pasty-faced comic who found fame and fortune playing a clueless everyman on such hit television shows as "Newhart" and "Mork and Mindy," has died. He was 85.

Fighting Ga. wildfire to cost $18M
WAYCROSS, Ga. -- Georgia officials estimate it will cost $18 million to fight vast wildfires that have burned more than 135 square miles of forest and swampland in southeast Georgia, and Gov. Sonny Perdue promised Tuesday to continue seeking federal disaster money to help offset the cost.

Bush, Democrats discuss war funding
WASHINGTON -- The House failed Wednesday to override President Bush's veto of an Iraq funding bill that included a timetable for withdrawal of combat troops, and the White House and Congress began talks on a compromise.

President vetoes bill to withdraw troops
WASHINGTON -- President Bush vetoed legislation to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq Tuesday night in a historic showdown with Congress over whether the unpopular and costly war should end or escalate.

Olmert wins backing of his political party
JERUSALEM -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert fought off a political mutiny Wednesday, winning the support of most members of his party in a closed-door meeting even as his foreign minister joined the growing list of people demanding that he step down over last summer's war with Hezbollah.

Zola Taylorof The Platters dies at 69
LOS ANGELES -- Zola Taylor, who broke gender barriers in the 1950s as a member of The Platters, harmonizing with her male colleagues on hits like "The Great Pretender," has died, her nephew said Tuesday. She was 69.

Deaths of honeybees could make meals bland
BELTSVILLE, Md. -- Unless someone or something stops it soon, the mysterious killer that is wiping out many of the nation's honeybees could have a devastating effect on America's dinner plate, perhaps even reducing us to a glorified bread-and-water diet.

'Food safety czar' named after chicken feed tainted
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Tuesday created a new senior position to supervise the agency's regulation of food safety, even as the agency disclosed that 3 million chickens raised on 38 Indiana poultry farms have been added to the growing list of animals that consumed feed tainted with a chemical used to make plastics.

Grant to help with cold cases
The St. Johns County Commission voted this week to allow the Sheriff's Office to apply for a U.S. Department of Justice grant to cover the cost of DNA testing for cold cases.

Police Report: Concrete forms stolen
ST. AUGUSTINE
Concrete forms stolen: Sometime in the past six months, someone made off with 22 aluminum concrete forms from a construction site.

Lawmakers delay property tax relief until at least June
TALLAHASSEE -- The House and Senate remained at impasse over property tax relief and will return in June to resume discussions instead of trying to reach an agreement before the 2007 regular session ends Friday, legislative leaders announced Wednesday.

Collision causes injuries at Vilano
A St. Augustine woman was in serious condition Monday after she drove her car into oncoming traffic on the Usina Bridge and hit another vehicle head-on, according to witnesses.

County narrows candidate list to five
The short list for County Administrator got shorter Tuesday as St. Johns County commissioners narrowed the field to five finalists and one alternate.

Neighborhood Bill of Rights
Participation of citizens in their government is a hallmark of the American experience. St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners has recognized the value of having our citizens involved in government. They passed Ordinance 2007-1 to enact the Neighborhood Bill of Rights. Now it is up to the initiative of boards of Community homeowners associations to sign up for the privilege this ordinance gives them.

Nostalgia: North Shores during WWII
Memorial Day brings back many personal family memories into our homes. Living in the North Shores during World War II was quite unique with good reason.

Guide to code enforcement
The concept of Code Enforcement is relatively new. In 1980 the State of Florida created a law (F.S. 162) which outlines the Code Enforcement process. The idea was to take the enforcement of local ordinances out of the overloaded courts sytem and have violations handled by local citizen boards. Obviously, education of the public can be the most effective tool that Code Enforcement officials have at their disposal.

Habitat Conservation Plan
New Beach Regulations
The beaches of St. Johns County are recognized as important habitat for protected species including sea turtles, the native Anastasia Island beach mouse (AIBM) that only occurs on Anastasia Island, and several species of nesting shorebirds. The sandy beaches of St. Johns County are wide, flat, hard-packed and to some are considered ideal for driving. We are privileged to drive on our beaches but we also have an important responsibility to create a compromise between our coastal inhabitants and beach users. In doing so, St. Johns County applied for an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2003 to authorize the unintentional taking of federally protected species caused by vehicular related activities regulated or managed by the County. In addition, a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), a statutory component of the ITP application, was prepared and submitted. The HCP describes the various programs, policies, plans and measures to minimize and mitigate the take of sea turtles and the native AIBM that may be related to ITP authorized activities. In August, 2006 the ITP and HCP were formally approved through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service allowing for continued public use and access of beach driving. The programs and policies contained in the HCP will improve protected species management on the City of St. Augustine beach County's beaches relative to practices currently in place. They are as follows:

Sowing the seasons with Kim: Stepping into Summer
It's hard to guess what mood spring will be in come May after experiencing her fickleness so far this year. She returned to us warmly to then give us the cold shoulder. Will she then heat up, baking us in preparation for her hotter cousin about to arrive? Or bless us with a few more days of her cool breezes? I don't know. I do know that as the school year winds down for us at FCTI's Hidden Nursery, we have a lot of things to do. We have plants to sell and to tend, potatoes and vegetables to grow, and hopefully a summer session to prepare for. We're planning to be open for summer school, which offers people (like you) along with students the opportunity to take our summer courses. It also means the nursery will be open through the month of June during school hours. I'll hopefully be there for part of the session to teach and watch over the nursery. Please call us for information about the classes offered.

Code Enforcement --Making the community the best it can be
At the NSIA April Forum, James Acosta, Supervisor of the County Code Enforcement Program, gave us a look into what is considered enforceable and how. The county is divided into four coverage areas, however one is very small -- the Weed and Seed area in West Augustine. Leslie Banta is the Code Enforcement Officer who covers the Northeast part of the county.

GTMNERR News
River Friendly Yard?
It's time for spring gardening. Even if you don't live right on the river, St. Johns Riverkeepers reminds us that if you plan to use fertilizer on your lawn, please use slow release, organic fertilizer like GreenEdge if possible. On their website they have recommendations about conserving water, landscaping with low maintenance plants, creating beds to reduce lawn size and runoff. The new updated River Friendly Yards brochure can be downloaded. www.stjohnsriverkeeper.org/greenMonster.asp

Billboard Provision Blocked
From Commissioner George Gardner Newsletter, April 4, 2007
A last minute provision slipped into a U.S. Senate Emergency War Supplemental bill by Senator Harry Reid to retain billboards in 13 southeastern states was knocked out by a Senate team including Florida's Mel Martinez. The provision would have allowed restoration of aged and decrepit, non-conforming billboards destroyed during recent hurricanes.

Volunteers Needed!
Volunteers Needed to help set up a protection area on Porpoise Point for NESTING OF THE LEAST TERN, an endangered species of bird.

Patricia Ann Ryder
Patricia Ann Ryder, 66 of St. Augustine, died April 30, 2007, at Flagler Hospital. Mrs. Ryder was a native of Buffalo, N.Y., and had resided in St. Augustine for the past five years. Mrs. Ryder owned and operated a grocery store. She was an Episcopalian.

Maria Soledad Valdivieso
Maria Soledad Valdivieso, 92, of St. Augustine, died April 30, 2007, at Flagler Hospital. Mrs. Valdicieso was a native of Cienfuegos, Cuba and had resided in St. Augustine since 2000. Mrs. Valdivieso was a homemaker and a member of the Catholic faith.

Barbara C. Penny
Barbara C. Penny entered into the arms of the Lord on April 30, 2007, after a courageous battle with cancer. She was born March 16, 1931, in Philadelphia, Pa., to William and Mildred Colladay, and was a graduate of Stratford High School and an attendee of the University of Connecticut. She was an active member of the Stratford Women's Bowling League and a partner in catering for over 20 years with her dear friend, Dorothy Carlino.

Florence Terry Crocker
Florence Terry Crocker, 80, of St. Augustine, died April 30, 2007, at Flagler Hospital. Mrs. Crocker was a native of Montclaire, N.J., and had resided in St. Augustine. Mrs. Crocker was a homemaker.

Barbara C. Penny
Barbara C. Penny entered into the arms of the Lord on April 30, 2007, after a courageous battle with cancer. Born March 16, 1931, in Philadelphia, Pa., to William and Mildred Colladay, she graduated from Stratford High School and attended the University of Connecticut. She was an active member of the Stratford Women's Bowling League and a partner in a catering business for over 20 years with her dear friend, Dorothy Carlino.

Frances T. Klinkenberg
Frances T. Klinkenberg, 75, of Palm Coast, died April 29, 2007, at her home. Mrs. Klinkenberg was a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., and had moved to this area 31 years ago from Hicksville, N.Y.

Cynthia Maxine Kozlowsky
Cynthia Maxine "Cindy" Kozlowsky, 53, was born Sept. 18, 1953, in Panama City, Fla., and passed away April 29, 2007, at home in Palm Coast, Fla., after a battle with cancer. She grew up and attended school in Panama City, where she participated in many sports and activities. She was awarded a tennis scholarship from Judson College in Alabama where she graduated in 1975. She also received a degree in business management from the University of Southern California.

Letter: Beach rules steal liberties of taxpayers
Editor: What St. Johns County did not come right out and say in its infamous new beach rules in the interest of safety, is that forever forth, no citizen of St. Johns County and anywhere beyond, shall watch a sunrise or sunset from the convenience of a car, or tailgate during the summer season. No dog shall have water handy at a vehicle on the beach after walking a couple of miles in the dawn hours before the working day begins.

Editorial: Fort Mose gate reopening can't come too soon
If you have been to historic Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose in North City and found the gate closed, don't despair. Instead mark your calendar for May 26 and plan to be at the head of the line when the Fort Mose Historical Society and the Florida Park Service reopen the gate.

Letter: Looking for answers after Va. Tech tragedy
Editor: While working on a church project, I was struck last week that the very next day after the Virginia Tech massacre I came upon a verse in the Scriptures: "Then if my people who are called by My Name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn away from their wicked ways, I will hear them from Heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land" (2 Chron. 7:14 NLB).

Pain to speak on early plantations
Ted Payne, local archaeologist, will speak on the early plantations in the vicinity of St. Augustine. Payne has specialized in the study of plantation history, and has discovered thirteen plantations in the area.

Goodell orders teams to attend concussion meeting
NEW YORK -- NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who disclosed last week that the NFL will make baseline neuropsychological tests mandatory for the 2007 season, is requiring all team medical personnel to attend a meeting on concussions next month.

Senators 3, Devils 2
OTTAWA (AP) -- Dany Heatley set up Daniel Alfredsson's goal, then scored unassisted, leading the Ottawa Senators to a 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night for a 3-1 edge in their playoff series.

Spurs 93, Nuggets 78
SAN ANTONIO -- Michael Finley set a San Antonio playoff record with eight 3-pointers Wednesday night and the Spurs advanced to the Western Conference semifinals with a 93-78 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

Two powerful icons hook up between the ropes
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The gallery stood a dozen rows deep and spilled down both sides of the fairway, the kind of scene Tiger Woods is used to seeing on the weekend at a major championship. This was only a pro-am round Wednesday at the Wachovia Championship.

Talladega track bans 14 fans for life
TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) -- Talladega Superspeedway has permanently banned 14 fans from buying tickets at the speedway following their arrests Sunday for throwing objects on the track after Jeff Gordon's victory in the Aaron's 499.

Furyk toils happily in the shadows of stars
Only seven seconds remained in the high school basketball playoff game and Jim Furyk's Manheim Township team was one point behind Lebanon as it ducked into a huddle to plot its potentially season-saving possession.

AL Capsules
CLEVELAND -- Rocked for three homers in the first inning, C.C. Sabathia buckled down to stay unbeaten and Jhonny Peralta had a career-high five RBIs as the Cleveland Indians beat the Toronto Blue Jays 12-4 on Tuesday night.

Safe at home
Seven years of close calls, bad losses and missed expectations were in Tony Sowers' mind on Tuesday night.
The very back of it.

Jackets can't catch up at North Marion
SPARR -- St. Augustine had its chances to end its lengthy playoff drought in the opening round of the state baseball playoffs on Tuesday night, but it couldn't come up with the hits it needed.

Senate leader: No property tax deal with gambling, Marlins
TALLAHASSEE -- The Senate president brushed off speculation Tuesday that property tax relief might be part of deals involving the annual state budget, an expansion of gambling or a new stadium for the Florida Marlins baseball team in Miami.

State Briefs
Tests may affect water taste, color
The taste of city water will be affected for 30 days while St. Augustine adjusts the chlorine and ammonia levels.

Thieves rob armored truck of $1.8 million in S. Fla.
HIALEAH GARDENS -- Authorities searched for two robbers who fled with $1.8 million from an armored truck during a delivery at a check cashing store Wednesday. Shots were fired, but no one was injured, police said.

State Legislative Briefs
TALLAHASSEE -- The U.S. Election Assistance Commission will allow Florida to use federal funds to replace the state's touch-screen voting machines with a verifiable paper-trail system, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson's office and the Florida Department of State said Tuesday.

Chavez takes over last private oil fields
BARCELONA Venezuela -- President Hugo Chavez's government took over Venezuela's last privately run oil fields Tuesday, intensifying a power struggle with international companies over the world's largest known petroleum deposit.